Index and advertising device



PATENTED JAN. 26, 190

C. F., WEST. INDEX AND ADVERTISING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 3, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

1N VEN TOR.

11 WITNESSES.-

Patented January 26,1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. WEST, OFWOLLASTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

INDEX AND ADVERTISING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 7 50,507, dated January 26, 1904.

Application filed June 3, 1903. Serial No. 159,848. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. Wnsr, residing at Wollaston, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Index and Advertising Devices, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to means for conveying information of a particular nature to persons quickly, easily, and handily, such as names associated with telephone service with whom a subscriber to such service is in the habit of calling for most frequently or of any special list of persons in a special line of business or profession, such as hardware dealers, lawyers, or physicians.

The invention'contemplatesa light metal holder provided with means for securing a pack of cards, each bearing a diiferentnumeral or a letter of the alphabet in index form and provided with lines and spaces in which names can be written and also if the names are of telephone subscribers the name of the exchange and the number in such exchange with which they are connected. The cards are so arranged that normally they lie one upon the other in the holder, but are adapted to be turned over one after the other to rest in a forward position. Space is also provided upon the card-faces for advertisements of any kind, and an index of them is placed on the outer face of the firstvcard. The holder is cut from thin sheet metal in such a manner that there is no Waste to material, the lower part of one holder being cut from the upper part of a second holder, and so on, the metal being of a uniform width. The holder is provided with a foot or clip, by means of which it is secured toa base or other suitable support, so that it can be tilted at any desired angle for convenience in turning the cards over, all of which I will now proceed to describe, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device. Fig. 2 is a partial front view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front view of the metal holder detached. Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a front and rear view of one of the cards. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a front and side View of the device as a whole representing the holder as attached to a base. Fig. 8 is aside view of the holder attached to a portable telephone, and Fig. 9 is a section on line as w of Fig. 3.

1n the drawings, Fig. 3 represents the holder a detached, and it consists of a thin piece of metal cut froma sheet of uniform width, having its edges 8 turned over at a right angle to provide stiffness, while its lower end is cut out into curves 1 on each side, with the prolongation 9, having the side pieces 7 7 and the slot 3 The part 9 is twisted at a quarter-turn. The lower end is stiffened by the indentation 6, forming a rib. In cutting the blank for one holder its lower end is cut from the upper end of the adjoining blank, and it will be seen that the curves 1 1 of the upper part correspond with the curves 1 l of the lower part, as do the edges 2 with the edges 2, while the tongue 3 is left when the slot 3 is out, which is curled under the blank, as 3, to serve as a retainer for a pencil p. This is done to economize the material. Semicircular cuts i 4 are made in each side of the blank, which are turned up. and outward slightly, as L, and the tongues 5 5 on each lower side are cut, leaving openings 5 5 and the tongues bent inward and then downward to the opening, with curved tops to form hinge-clips.

I provide a number of cards-say fourteenall of the same Width to rest easily between the supporting-guards 1 and having oblong holes 11 11 cut in the lower outer sides, which are inserted under the hinge-clips 5, which is then bent inward to hold all the cards in place, Sufficient space is left between the cards and the curved top of the clips to permit the cards to be lifted up to remove one or more of them, if desired. Each card can be turned up and over, as shown in the figures, in order to inspect both sides of each card. One card 2'- is longer than the others and has an erasable surface to serve as a pencil-memorandum and is so marked. One of each of the remaining cards has a tab 10 at its upper side bearing a letter of the alphabet, and they are arranged, as seen in Fig. 2, in the form of an index, so that each card can be readilyreached. The inner surface of each card is ruled, as shown in Fig. 5, for a name,

and if the device is to be used for a telephoneindex the name of the exchange and number of telephone subscriber is provided for. ruling is arranged so that when a card is turned over, as shown in Fig. 8, the writing therein will be correct. The other face of all the cards except the outer or A card, which bears the general title, is intended for advertisements, and the lower part of the outer card is intended for an index to such advertisements.

In Fig. 7 the holder a is shown as attached to a portable base 5, provided with a support having a leg 13, secured to the base by screws. The support has a thumb screw 6 threaded therein, having a knurled head 0, between whose inner end and the face of the support the clip 9 of the holder is secured and may be adjusted to any angle.

In Fig. 8 the holder (0 is represented as secured to the rear of a telephone-transmitter T by the thumb-screw of the telephone arm or stand in precisely the same way as in Fig. 7 by clamping the clip 9 between the head of the screw and the telephone-arm, as will be readily understood. This is a preferred arrangement of the device, as the index is directly in front of the observer at all times when using the telephone, and the cards can be turned forward to rest upon the top of the transmitter-case T and the desired name easily found. It will be seen that the advertisements on the cards will be constantly displayed as the cards are turned over, and while a person is waiting for the telephone connection the eye is attracted to the index of advertisements, and so led to investigate the same.

I claim as my invention 1. An index and advertising device consisting of a holder made from a single piece of sheet metal provided with side guards, hinging-clips and an attaching member; of a plurality of cards having orifices at their lower edges registering with each other and adapted to be inclosed by said guards and supported by said hinging-clips, and provided with tabs at their upper edges for reference characters, one surface of each card ruled to receive names and addresses while the opposite side is an advertising-space; with a suitable base member provided with means for adjustably supporting the'said holder and cards.

2. An index and advertising device consisting of a holder made from a single piece of sheet metal of uniform width, the tapering extensions of the lower portion of one holder cut from the central upper portion of the contiguous holder, provided with side guards, hinging-clips and an attaching member; of a plurality of cards having orifices at their lower edges registering with each other and adapted to be inclosed by said guards and supported by said hinging-clips, and provided with tabs at their upper edges for reference characters, one surface of each card ruled to re- The.

ceive names and addresses while the opposite side is an advertising-space; with a suitable base member provided with means for adjustably supporting the said holder and cards.

3. Anindex and advertising device consisting of a holder made from a single piece of sheet metal of uniform width provided with side guards cut from the back of the piece and bent outward, hinging-clips cut from the lower sides of the piece and curved upward and inward, and an attaching member turned onequarter around; a plurality of cards having orifices at their lower edges registering with one another and adapted to be inclosed by said guards and supported by said hingingclips, one card having an erasable surface while the remaining cards are provided with tabs at their upper edges for reference characters to constitute an index, one surface of each card ruled to receive names and addresses while the opposite side is an advertising-space; with a suitable base member provided with a clamping-screw for adjustably supporting the said holder and cards.

4. An index and advertising device consisting of a holder made from a single piece of sheet metal provided with side guards, hinging-clips and an attaching member; a plurality of cards having orifices at their lower edges registering with each other and adapted to be inclosed by said guards and supported by said hinging-clips, and provided with tabs at their upper edges for reference characters, one surface of each card ruled to receive names and addresses while the opposite side is an advertising-space; with a base member to receive said attaching member consisting of a telephone-supporting arm provided with a clamping-screw.

5. An index and advertising device consisting of a holder made from a single piece of sheet metal of uniform width provided with side guards cut from the back of the piece and bent outward, hinging clips cut from the lower sides of the piece and curved upward and inward, and an attaching member turned one-quarter around; a plurality of cards having orifices at their lower edges registering with one another and adapted to be inclosed by said guards and supported by said hinging-clips, one card being longer than the remainder and having an erasable surface while the remaining shorter cards are provided with tabs at their upper edges for reference characters, one surface of each card ruled to receive names and addresses while the opposite side is an advertising-space, the outer short cards having an index-tothe advertising-spaces of all the cards; with a base member to receive said attaching member consisting of a telephone supporting arm provided with a clamping-screw.

6. An index and advertising device consisting of a holder made from a strip of sheet metal of uniform width in a single piece provided with side-guards cut from the back of the piece and bent outward, hinging-clips cut from the lower sides of the piece and curved upward and inward, and a tapering attaching member cut from the top portion of a contiguous holder having a tongue cut from its central part, the tongue of the top portion bent into a curve to constitute a pencil-holder; a plurality of cards having orifices at their lower edges registering with one another and adapted to be inclosed by said guards and supported by said hinging-clips, one card being longer than the remainder and having an erasable surface while the remaining shorter cards are provided with tabs at their upper edges for reference characters, one surface of each card'ruled to receive names and addresses FRANK J. ONEIL, THOMAS A. DOLAN. 

